Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The emails we received this week were good. We were a little concerned about Sister Carr in the Philippines because we knew that another typhoon was heading her way. Her area took a direct hit, but thankfully it was only a category 2 storm. They received heavy rains, strong winds and a lot of flooding in the area, but we're happy to report that all is well.

Hermana Carr is experiencing her share of rain as well, as it is the rainy season in the Yucatan, but she kind of likes it. Some big changes happened for Hermana Carr this week. After 7 1/2 months in her little pueblo she was transferred to a new area and called to be a STL (sister trainer leader). She's nervous, but excited for the new responsibilities.

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From the Pines:

Hello Family and Friends!!!!

I hope you are all doing well and have all had a great week!!!!

Sister McLain and I doing well here in Dagupan!! Not really having any success staying dry pero hey, we are loving it!! haha

We
actually just about an hour ago got the okay from President Monahan to
go outside and have PDay. So not too much time to write!!! Pero last
night the storm here was crazzyy!!! So flooded pero safe, promise (:

Since
Dagupan is always flooded, the other day as we were walking right
through a part of our area that was baha (flooded) I look down and see
fish swimming right next to me!!! haha not the first time that has
happened. Our area borders a river so when the high tide comes in or
when it rains enough to fill the pathways and streets it is just like
walking through a pond. Tons of fish, frogs, and all other kind of
things that I just dont care to know about.

Sister McLain and I
had a great week and are seeing the results of small success bringing
about GREAT miracles!! We found a Sister a couple of weeks ago named
Dorie who is just amazing! She came to church yesterday, she is reading,
she is getting involved with the ward, honestly, I have not seen a more
prepared investigator! She has been searching for the truth and she is
just ready! I love her!!!! She is a tender mercy for us!!! especially
dahil once again we had to drop investigators that are just not willing
right know to act. ):and that is always rough pero it has to be done. We
actually found this week that we have a whole barangay that is not
progressing ): we set goals, plans, backup plans but in this one area we
have a hard time, and it is rough kasi it is our closest barangay to
the church. Pero we continue to push forward and always have a reason to
celebrate when we return home!!!!

Well family and friends again
not a lot of time to write but I just want to say I love you all and I
am grateful for all of you!! Thank you for your emails and the pics you
send !! I read them all and love them all!!!!

All of you have a great and safe week!!!!! I will write next week!!! and I'll be home for Christmas!!!!Mahal ko kayo lahat at Maraming Salamat!!!!!

Love,Sister Carr

Food, fun and laughs!

Enjoying dinner together

Sister's Mclain, Carr, Dover & KK

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From Mexico:

I can´t believe it´s been already 11 months! AHHHH!!!!!

So
a lot has happened in the last 24 hours. We had transfers (or changes).
We received a call last night at 11:00pm telling us that Hermana
Sánchez will be staying in Motul and will be receiving another companion
and that I have been called to be a sister trainer leader! I didn´t
believe it. I was shocked! But at the same time I was so excited knowing
that I was going to learn so much more and do so much more as a
missionary! But I`m still terrified. Luckily, my new companion is
Hermana Ludlam! She was in the MTC with me and is AWESOME! We also have
another companion, Hermana Lugo, from the Domincan Republic that is
going to be with us. And our area is Mulsay 3! It`s my first
city....I`ve always been in smaller towns, so I`m a little scared, but
Hermana Ludlam says the ward is fantastic and our Sunday meetings are in
the stake center right next to the Temple! YAY!!!!!!!!!

However
it was VERY hard leaving Motul and leaving Hermana Sánchez. After 7 and
a half months in one place, it definitely starts to feel like your
home, like your leaving your family, but I know that I have done what
the Lord wanted me to do there. I am just grateful I was blessed to
spend so much time in such a wonderful place! But Daddy you got your
wish! I will definitely get the chance to know other parts of Yucatan! I
get the opportunity to visit other companionships of sister in other
areas and help them so that they can have more success in their areas! I
feel extremely humbled to have the chance to serve the Lord in this
capacity. I`m so thankful because the Lord is constantly giving me
reasons to work harder and learn more! I now have the motivation to be
better because I will be working with mutiple sisters and my only
purpose is to help them be better! I know it`s going to be a lot of
work, but I feel loved knowing that the Lord has put His trust in me and
I will do ALL that I can to do what He would have me do! He trusts me,
and I must trust Him!

I
promise I continue to do all that I can here in Mexico! It`s definitely
not easy, but I absolutely adore this work! I adore being a missionary!
And I love my Heavenly Father so much for how He guides me and allows
me to do and become more than I ever thought possible! Our Father in
heaven truly loves us! If we are faithful and obedient, He will always
show us evidence of His love!

CHRIST LIVES! THE GOSPEL IS TRUE! I love you all and I´ll talk to you soon!

Con todo mi amor,

Hermana Sarahbeara :)

PS: Yes, there´s rain, but not like AJ´s got it. It falls hard, but it doesn´t last long. It´s fun, haha :)

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Merry Christmas and Rain for all !!!

It's Christmas time once again in the Philippines and instead of snow falling it's lots and lots of rain. Our daughter in Mexico is also experiencing the rainy season. It seems like the climate is very similar in both countries. Hot, humid and lots of rain.

Regardless of the weather the work of the Lord pushes forward and our girls are doing their part to help it along.

This
week was a fast one for Sister McLain and I! We had Zone Conference so
that was fun! and yeah just a busy week of awesome missionary work!!!!

Once
again I don't have to much time to write cause I am also sending
pictures!! So, Nay ipost nyo yung mga pictures ko para makikita din
nila!! (:

Oh
and Opo baptized na po si Edison!!! His baptism went really well!!! His
Lolo got to baptize him and they are really close so it was a great
experience for both of them!!!

The
work here in Dagupan is going really well!! We have hit a couple of
rough patches but Sister McLain and I are constantly looking for what
more we can do and we have seen the Lords hand in guiding us to those
who need His message!!!

We recently had dinner at our Bishops house and right in the middle a huge storm
hit!!! We had a brown out, thunder(kulog), lightening(kidlat), and yes
flooding. When our bishop was taking us home in his tryke he made us
boot up!! at that point the water was just below my knees and our boots
just went a little past so it was perfect, haha!! Gotta love the Pines in
the rainy season, but don't worry, we are careful!!!

I want you all to know that I absolutely LOVE my mission!!!! The Pines
is the best place!!! I have learned so much and have become so grateful!
Honestly, even to this day I am shocked to see the conditions that
some people live in. It is crazy walking by homes and seeing all the
possessions floating in water because the floods have filled their homes.
But the Filipino people know how to face adversity. I love teaching the
gospel to the Filipino people!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

I
love being a missionary!!! It is going by so so so fast!!! But I have
learned to love every single day and everyday is Amazing!!!

I
love you all!! thank you so much for your love and support!!! I will
write next week and I will be home for Christmas!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!

Sister Joy Manzon served her mission in Long Beach California. When she returned home to the Philippines in January 2014 she met Sister Carr from California. Sister Carr was transferred to Dagupan city in August and is now serving in Sister Manzon's home ward. It's a small small world!!!

Sister Carr & Hansen with one of the many families they have been teaching and serving.

Reunited with Sister KK and it's so much fun!!!

Sister Carr in the kitchen, she says she has gotten really good at cooking and she loves it.

Baptism Day for a young boy named Edison. Sister Carr says he's a ROCKSTAR and she loved being a part of his special day. His Lolo (Grandpa) got to baptize him.

3 beautiful sisters

Carr & KK = FUN!!!

Sister Carr with her current companion Sister McLain, from Idaho. They are really having a lot of fun working together.

Time
just seems to go faster and faster and it freaks me out! I can´t
believe it´s almost been a year since I've seen you guys! CRAZY!!!!!

I´m
glad to hear everyone is doing alright, broken bones and all, haha.
This week was a good week too. Hermana Sánchez and I continue learning
so much and I love it. It´s hard, but I love it. I love ALL the
experiences in the mission! A lot of them are spiritual, some of them
are weird, and some are just fun :) One fun thing that happened that I
didn´t mention is that for the stake conference we had two weeks ago,
the missionaries sang a hymn and I got chosen to sing a special part
with another sister, an elder, and Pres. García! It was awesome! I was
SUPER nervous, but it was cool. Presidente sings well, haha!

And this week we just kept working hard, trying to do all that we can for the Lord. :)

And
Daddy, thank you for the football updates! I seriously love them! I
LOVE hearing about the games and I can picture all these amazing plays! I
definitely want to go to a game when I get home! And how exciting that
you applied for a job in Utah! I promise I´m super focused on the
mission, but I have been thinking lately about afterwards. I don´t want
to get home and not know what to do. I want to keep moving. I love the
idea of going to school in Utah. I want to go there when I get home.
However, I don´t know if I´ll go to BYU. I´m totally ok with the family
going to Utah.

As far as Mexico goes, everything
is good :) We have a conference on Thursday that I´m looking forward to
and Hermana Sánchez and I are ready to work hard this week! We know
that Lord is going to help us save some souls!!!!!!! :) Salvation isn´t
easy, but the work is well worth it! I love you all so much, and thank
you mama for the quote you sent! I appreciate all the love and support
you guys give me! BEST FAMILY EVER!

OH OH OH OH, before I
forget! I received a BEAUTIFUL letter this week from a sister named
Sister Bowles. She said she served in our ward and fell in love with our
family! I cried reading the letter! She told me about how loved she
felt when she was with you guys and that you guys helped her a lot! She
encouraged me as a missionary and expressed her gratitude for everything
that you guys did for her. It was such a blessing getting this letter!
We seriously have the greatest family in the world and I will never be
able to thank Heavenly Father enough for allowing me to be a part of it!
¨I am grateful love is spoken here.¨ Those are definitely true lyrics
for the Carr Family Household! So blessed to be a CARR!!!!!!!!!!

LOS AMO MUCHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sarahbeara :)

Eating with a family from church

Sopa de borracho (drunkard soup...I don´t know exactly what it is, but they eat it here...jaja!

Hermana Carr helps teach English for the mission and this is just some of her artwork on the whiteboard.

Hermana Carr loves the kids!!

Hermana Carr (Coche)

Beautiful skies and rainbows

Adorable faces!!

These little ones love the camera

The circus coming to town .Feeling a little American pride with Captain America jaja!

I have to share a few more pictures. These are of a Hermana Carr's good friend that recently got baptized here at home. Hermana Carr was so excited when we send these pictures to her and shared the news of CeCe's baptism.

Bro. & Sis. Carr with CeCe on her baptism day. This was Hermana Carr's response via email when we told her the news. "CECE GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!?????? YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you for sending the pictures I just about screamed when I saw these photos!!!! PLEASE tell her I love her and FELICIDADES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I´m so happy!"